DENVER — Ronny Mauricio is prone to chasing pitches and striking out, but the flip side is his explosive power.
On Saturday, the Mets were reminded why their 24-year-old rookie holds such promise, even as missed opportunities with runners in scoring positions occurred once again.
During the game, Mauricio hit his first major league home run since 2023 — a powerful 456-foot shot in the third inning. He also contributed to another scoring rally, helping the Mets secure an 8-1 victory over the Rockies at Coors Field.
The Mets finished 3-for-14 with runners in scoring position but hit three homers in beating the hapless Rockies for a fifth straight time.
The Mets will go for the season-series sweep Sunday.
“I feel like I hit it right on the barrel,” Mauricio said of his monster shot.
The impressive home run didn’t surprise manager Carlos Mendoza. Seeing the ball soar toward the third deck, Mendoza reflected on Mauricio’s resilience after missing all of last season due to two knee surgeries. This game marked the first opportunity for Mendoza, in his debut year as manager, to witness the impressive abilities of the switch-hitter firsthand.
“We know the power is real. We know the impact,” Mendoza said. “But we have got to be patient with him. This is a guy who needs a whole year of development, and it’s good to see him now do some of the things we know he is capable of.”
The Mets returned to full strength with Francisco Lindor back in the lineup after missing the previous two starts with a broken right pinky toe.
Lindor singled in each of his first two at-bats and stole second both times, just in case there was any lingering concern about his toe.
A night earlier, he delivered a pinch-hit, two-run double in the ninth inning that served as the Mets’ margin of victory.
Clay Holmes picked up where Kodai Senga left off a night earlier by allowing one earned run on nine hits over six innings with six strikeouts.
Senga on Friday allowed one earned run over six innings in throwing a career-high 109 pitches. Holmes needed just 95 pitches.
Holmes said he felt the effect of the altitude around 70 pitches but persevered.
“Pitching as a reliever here, you don’t feel it a ton,” said Holmes, who converted to a starting pitcher this season. “But you hit that 70-pitch mark, and you are like, ‘This feels like about 100,’ so you can feel it add up.”
Mauricio led off the third with his bomb to right field for the game’s first run.
A night earlier, he snapped a 0-for-11 skid with a triple that nearly cleared the left field fence.
The Mets recalled Mauricio on Tuesday when Mark Vientos was placed on the injured list with a strained right hamstring.
Ryan McMahon’s homer leading off the fourth tied it 1-1.
It was the eighth homer allowed by Holmes in his past six starts, but he’s minimized damage by surrendering most of them with the bases empty.
Jared Young cleared the left field fence leading off the fifth to get the run back for the Mets.
It was Young’s second homer in 20 at-bats with the club since his arrival from Syracuse.
Mauricio followed with a single and stole second before Brandon Nimmo delivered an RBI single that extended the lead to 3-1.
Holmes allowed a bloop double to Hunter Goodman in the fifth to put runners on second and third with two outs before retiring McMahon.
The right-hander had allowed two singles in the third but got Thairo Estrada to hit into a double play.
Jeff McNeil blasted the Mets’ third solo homer of the game against German Marquez to widen the lead to 4-1. The homer was McNeil’s fourth of the season.
Mauricio’s fielding error at third base on Kyle Farmer’s grounder extended the sixth inning for Holmes, but the right-hander responded by getting Tyler Freeman to ground into a force out.
It was Holmes’ final pitch of the night.
Tyrone Taylor’s sacrifice fly after the Mets loaded the bases with one out extended the lead.
Luis Torrens’ two-run single with two outs buried the Rockies in a 7-1 hole.
Nimmo and Juan Soto drew walks in the inning, and Pete Alonso also singled.
Nimmo swatted an RBI double in the eighth for the Mets’ final run.
Jose Butto and Jose Castillo combined to pitch the final three innings scoreless, allowing Mendoza to keep his high-leverage arms (particularly Edwin Diaz, Reed Garrett and Ryne Stanek) in the bullpen.
“We have been using them pretty hard,” Mendoza said before the game. “Especially a guy like Garrett, I feel like the last week he has been on and off, on and off. That’s not sustainable. We have got to be careful here.”
